write. eat. repeat.

Nicola Yoon

We got the news a few weeks ago that STALKING JACK THE RIPPER had made this year’s BEA YA Buzz Panel, and it has been SUPER hard keeping this kind of secret from everyone. I’ve gotten a few questions from people outside of the industry about what it all means, and am posting some answers taken directly from the press release.

What is BEA, exactly?BookExpo America (BEA) is North America’s largest gathering of book trade professionals attracting an international audience. The event is widely known as an ideal place for content creators, media, booksellers, rights professionals, and movie and television executives to meet new authors, discover new books, learn about trends shaping the book industry, and network with those who have a passion for books and reading. BEA is foremost a gathering place for creative writers and thinkers and the commerce they create. It is recognized for the media attention it brings to upcoming books as well as for the notable authors it attracts to the convention itself. BEA is organized with the support of association partners including the Association of American Publishers (AAP) and the American Booksellers Association (ABA).

What’s the Buzz Panel?The Buzz Panels are divided into three categories – BEA Adult Editor’s Buzz, BEA Young Adult Editors’ Buzz, and BEA Middle Grade Editors’ Buzz – and cover a wide range of topics this year exploring race, love, family, and more

BEA Buzz has a powerful track record of predicting the year’s hottest books, selecting nine titles over the past two years that made it onto the The New York Times Best Sellers list.

“BEA has had a good track record in selecting upcoming bestsellers and I think that once again this crop of authors is likely to become household names in the coming months,” said Steve Rosato, event director. “We’re happy with these selections and look forward to exploring these works further at BEA.”

How are the books chosen?The selection process was made by three separate committees of booksellers, librarians and other industry professionals. BEA officials note that the intensive selection process, which takes place over a two and a half month period, always involves passionate debate over the finalists. The selection committees are purposely designed to achieve the widest possible consensus.

I think I might be living in a dream world and hope to never, ever wake up if that’s the case. A few titles from previous Buzz Panels include:

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Duff by Kody Keplinger

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Room by Emma Donoghue

Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon

and many, many more.

So yeah. Totally. Blown. Away. I cannot believe that my book made the panel, and will probably be pinching myself for the rest of my life. Thank you so much to Barbara Poelle, Jenny Bak, and JIMMY patterson books for taking a chance on a gothic story about a determined girl who takes on Jack the Ripper.